DEFENSE: FLOOR AND CEILING
With Sekou Doumbouya there is always a feeling that is all about defense, about how dominant he could be and how long will take him to fulfil such insane potential. So many things to like about Sekou, that is easy to picture him way above your regular Euro tweener even if he lacks consistency on his own end and his stats in France last season were only decent.
For starters, Doumbouya has the looks and the appeal of an elite defensive playmaker on the ball. Think of a long and twitchy 6’9 guy who’s not scared of switches, can beat smaller players to the spot, play the passing lanes, and dictate the offense in half-court to a high degree. Sekou can naturally guard from 1 to 4 without much trouble, and then slot into the small-5 role if needed due to his resilience, drive and wingspan, at least in a part-time basis. He is ridiculously light and quick on his feet, able to move on slides, contain the penetration, and then react to the pass and cover ground in a hurry. He also has fluid hips and length for days to defend on an island or deter drivers trying to cash on mismatches.
Good-sized forwards with top-notch athleticism and mobility to burn are a high commodity in Europe these days, and Doumbouya brings those traits in abundance. He allows you to use different Pick-N-Roll schemes and plug holes in your lineup on the fly, and gives you so many defensive counters as well, from classic zonal defenses to the specific box-and-one or even aggressive full-court press and traps. Off the ball the Frenchman is disruptive and excels as the low man in the paint, although it’s not simply about helping, rotating or closing out shooters. There is some obvious tendency to wander and overhelp in the middle here, losing his man and giving away clean looks. Sekou’s size and agility can bail him out at times but make him overconfident too, so he needs to improve his IQ and understand when to commit in those situations.
ANDORRA’S FIT AND EXPECTATIONS
MoraBanc Andorra have established itself as a solid mid-table club in Liga Endesa for the past decade with the sole exception of the 2021-22 campaign when they went down to the second tier (to immediately bounce back to the top). For this season, despite not getting into the Basketball Champions League during last weekend’s qualifiers, Andorra’s roster has been completely revamped with up to nine new players and a bunch of intriguing additions highlighted by Sekou Doumbouya’s pedigree and upside.
Andorra will be a perimeter-oriented team though, with Jerrick Harding, Shannon Evans and Kyle Kuric expected to carry the load offensively. How will Doumbouya mesh with a backcourt loaded with experienced self-creators and proven shooters? On paper, these three American guards are meant to see most usage, with arguably two of them always on the floor. Therefore, Sekou will be a second or third option in most lineups. It shouldn’t be an issue for the Frenchman starlet. Doumbouya is going to make an impact on both ends out of the gate with his high energy and versatility while he grows into games and does every little thing for the team.
Moreover, there are some questions about Andorra’s big men firepower, and Sekou will lead frontcourt whether he plays off a more classic center (Felipe dos Anjos or Ben Lammers) or gets to build up a dynamic and mobile partnership with the Greek international Nikos Chougkaz (00). At 6’9 Chougkaz is another stretch-forward who doesn’t lack athleticism and shot 42.0% from three last season in the HEBA A1. The small-ball combo Nikos-Sekou would be especially appealing in terms of spacing, mobility and switchability for Andorra. Lastly, Doumbouya could also play spare minutes at the three, especially if MoraBanc’s head coach Natxo Lezkano decides to go for defensive adjustments to turn games around.
A new season of Liga Endesa is just about to tip off and Sekou Doumbouya will be a man to watch there. Still only 23, gifted and ready to fly. At some point we might wonder again why things didn’t work out in Detroit for Sekou. It doesn’t matter anymore. Time to work hard, test yourself and enjoy the ride among seasoned pros on this side of the Atlantic. One game up at a time. EuroLeague type of player coming this way. No questions asked.
